Analysis of the Philosophical Underpinnings of School Discipline Policies and Practices in Kenya

Indiscipline among learners is a persistent educational problem in schools in the world. In Kenya, the persistence of indiscipline among learners in schools calls into question school discipline policies, practices and their theoretical underpinnings. This study sought to analyze the suitability of the philosophical frameworks that underpin school discipline policies and practices in Kenya through the lens of care ethics theory developed by Nel Noddings. The study adopted a desktop research design employing the analytic, critical and prescriptive philosophical methods. Being a library based inquiry, data collection and analysis entailed analyzing school discipline policy documents, guideline and practices in the country. The analysis revealed that the policies and practices are largely anchored on deontological and human rights-based ethical frameworks with traces of restorative justice ethics that are not harmoniously blended in both policy and practice. The study recommends the adoption of a care-centered ethical framework for school discipline in the context of the current CBE in the country.